Tales of Two Childhood Friends
by kirika o7
Summary: Fuji and Ryoma are childhood friends from America. Fuji left and Ryoma was left alone. How will Ryoma cope? Fuji x FemRyo
1. Chapter 1

**TALES OF TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS**

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis

_**PROLOGUE**_

Fuji Shuusuke and Echizen Ryoma were once childhood friends when they were in America. But even though their age gap was 2 years, both friends adored each other, but unconsciously, their love grew more and more. Unfortunately, Fuji on the age of 7 needed to go to Japan due to his father's business. Making Ryoma (5 years old) left alone.

Then when Fuji told Ryoma that he was leaving after a week or so, Ryoma decided that she would spend time with him every single day playing tennis. And Ryoma understood this; she was after all an understandable and caring person. That's how Fuji described her.

When it was the day before Fuji will leave America and Ryoma they were in the tennis court, playing tennis once again. Both were running around the court, trying to retrieve the ball before it lands on the ground.

'Game and Set won by me 7-5,' Fuji said after he hit a slice that Ryoma couldn't properly hit. Ryoma had trouble returning it, making the ball hit the net with Fuji winning eventually.

'I lost to you again Shuu-chan,' Ryoma said while catching her breath, holding her racket in both of her two little hands. Even though Ryoma lost, she is still considered to be a prodigy. For her age, she was too good and she had already beaten a lot of great players, with Fuji's support of course.

'Don't worry, I'll bet you'll defeat me someday' Fuji told her. They had played a lot before but, Ryoma never won. She thinks that there is nothing she could do to beat the tensai, Fuji Shuusuke. Whatever she does, she only manages to continue the game and go on to a tie-break.

No one spoke a word for a while. They were just staring at each other, memorizing the face of the person standing opposite of them. They won't be able to see each other for a while and hoped that they would see each other _sooner_ than what they expected.

Ryoma sighed and looked down. 'Ne Shuu-chan you're gonna leave tomorrow already right?' Ryoma sadly asked the boy. Him leaving would only make her saddened and maybe, she would stop talking to other people except her friends.

Fuji looked at the younger girl worryingly. 'Gomen Ryo-chan. We have to leave by tomorrow,' Fuji said disappointingly. He could already guess what the girl was thinking. He never wanted her to be that way, _never_.

'I'll miss you,' Ryoma muttered but knowing Fuji, she knew he heard her. She would miss him so, so much! He was her only true friend. The one who supported her better than anyone else, except her parents.

'I'll miss you too,' Fuji whispered while hugging Ryoma. Ryoma cried, letting all the emotion she felt out. She cried on her friend's chest, the friend that would leave her the next day.

The next day the Fuji family was at the airport, already about to check-in.

'Shuu-chan!!' Fuji heard that his name was called. He stopped walking. 'Shuu-chan!' Once again, the same voice called him. He then turned his head where the voice was coming from then he saw Ryoma. Ryoma ran speedily towards him, making some people look at her like she was some maniac. He was shocked that Ryoma came here to say good bye. He was going to just figure it out. Then when Ryoma caught up with Fuji she panted, catching her breath. 'Ryo-chan, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?' Fuji asked, too shocked.

'Mou, don't you want your friend to say good bye to you? Or give you a remembrance for you to remember her?' Ryoma just smirked and fished something out of his pocket.

'Gomen…' Fuji said with an apologetic look, watching Ryoma with his half-opened eyes.

'Mada Mada Dane… Here,' Ryoma blushed while giving Fuji a half silver necklace that has **'BEST'** engraved on it. It was a silver necklace.

'Thank you Ryo-chan. But where's the other half? I bet it's with you,' Fuji chuckled at Ryoma's cute expression, watching as the girl fished something out of his other pocket.

'You sure are a genius Shuu-chan. Yup, it's with me alright,' Ryoma smiled widely while showing the other half of the silver necklace that she gave Fuji. But the necklace was different it has a **'FRIEND'** engraved on it. She will hold on to it forever.

'Here, combine the two together,' Ryoma smiled while Fuji combined the two necklaces together. It spelled **'BEST FRIEND'**. Fuji was overjoyed to what Ryoma did. He was grateful to have a friend like Ryoma. He then shed tears, crying as Ryoma patted his back soothingly…

'Hey. Shuu-chan, don't cry. You should know that you shouldn't shed tears in front of a girl. It makes you look weak,' Ryoma said this to make Fuji stop his tears, laughing quietly as he did so. 'I should be the one crying you know,' Ryoma joked but it was true after all.

'Please let me, Ryo-chan, please let me cry… I want you to know that I won't shed a tear in front of you anymore after I cry. This will be the last time that I will cry in front of you. So please let me cry for awhile. I promise you that,' Fuji said, still crying. He was saddened by the fact that he had let Ryoma give him something while he didn't.

'There, there…' Ryoma said while patting his back gently. Fuji then stopped crying, seeing Ryoma smiling at him. 'We'll see each other soon.'

'Thank you, Ryo-chan' Fuji said, already chuckling to himself. He remembered that he was already about to leave and all his laughter vanished.

'Shuusuke!!' A girl with long light brown hair that was exactly like Fuji's called his name and was running towards them. She was holding their tickets.

'Yumiko-nee…' Fuji and Ryoma muttered at the same time, afraid of what she was going to say.

'Oh, Ryoma-chan. Did you come here to say good bye to Shuusuke?' Yumiko the elder sister of the Fuji asked, smiling at the cute little girl.

'Umm… Well, yes…' Ryoma said shyly, looking down on the floor, trying to hide her blush. 'But we're finished though. I already did what I intended to do,' Ryoma continued, smiling up at the two Fuji's.

Yumiko thought that they could talk for one last time before they board the plane. 'Oh… Well, I'll just give both of you one last minute to talk,' Yumiko smiled, before she walked away.

'Thank you, nee-chan' Fuji thanked her sister. Yumiko turned around and smiled at her brother, giving him one of her beautiful smiles and saying, 'No problem, Shuusuke. I'll come back, alright?' Yumiko smiled then she left after seeing them nod.

'So this is farewell?' Ryoma asked sadly. Tears were already falling. She didn't want to cry, not in front of her friend! She wiped her tears away and waited for her friends reply.

Fuji sighed. 'I think so…' Fuji said sadly.

'I wish you luck, Fuji Shuusuke,' Ryoma smiled at her friend. She held his hand and gave it a squeeze.

'You too, Echizen Ryoma,' Fuji replied while giving his best friend a hug, a hug that they would never have in a few years, a hug that they would never forget…

It was silent for the two but, Yumiko appeared, making their worlds shatter…

'Shuusuke, time's up' Yumiko informed her brother. She saw Ryoma shake, trying not to cry. For a little girl, she was disciplined and brave.

'Hai!' Fuji answered. 'Bye, Ryo-chan,' Fuji bid farewell, giving Ryoma a sad smile.

'Bye, Shuu-chan,' her voice shook near the end. To her, saying goodbye was hard, especially if the person is special to her. But, Fuji was more than that. He was like her brother or the person she loved the most and, he would already leave her…

Fuji turned around and was about to walk away when Ryoma once again called his name. "Shuusuke!" Ryoma called. Fuji turned his head to look at her, and then when he turned his head, he felt that something soft touching his lips. It was Ryoma's.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own POT or any of its characters._

**Tales of Two Childhood Friends**

Chapter 2

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_Two souls,_

_but with a single thought; _

_two hearts, _

_that beat as one._

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After little Fuji left little Ryoma, Ryoma promised to herself that she would be stronger, stronger for her to beat Fuji Shuusuke. Ryoma would always whine to her father Nanjiroh Echizen, a former tennis pro player, to play a match with her making Nanjiroh agree to play a match or else his ears would bleed like crazy.

As years passed by Ryoma did after all became a strong player. She won many tournaments both boys and girls' in different divisions earning the title "The Princess of Tennis". But as these years pass by, with tournaments and trophies won, Ryoma grew colder. She was happy that she had won those tournaments and trophies since it meant that is was getting stronger but deep inside her heart something or _someone _was missing and, that someone was Fuji Shuusuke.

'_Happy with tennis but sad with friendship… What a complicated life it is for me,'_ Ryoma thought, looking ay the sky; watching as the clouds passed by her.

Yes, Ryoma was sad because she didn't have any friends even at her own school. It's not that she didn't want any friends it's just she won't trust anyone anymore based on her experience long ago. If someone would want to befriend with her it was always because she was popular and that her family was rich. She was looking for a friend that was willing to accept her not as "The Princess of Tennis" but as a normal teenage girl like _HIM_.

She was longing for _HIM _after all; longing for _HIM_ to be beside her.

Ryoma's mother, Rinko Takeuchi, was really worried and so as Ryoma's father and adopted brother, Ryoga Echizen. Ryoma became cold when _that _happened. It was when her jealousy and sadness was already at its limit. Jealousy is what she always felt whenever she sees kids her age playing games with their friends. The feeling of sadness grew even more when she plays tennis. People go easy on her, making her feel angered and sad at the same time. Rumors were spreading all-around the globe. One was that the Echizens were blackmailing Ryoma's opponent so that they would lose on purpose, making Ryoma win. It wasn't true though. The Echizens win because of their skills. Their reputation would be ruined once they win because of blackmail.

"Ne Nanjiroh, shouldn't we move and go to Japan since the environment here in America isn't quite pleasing here anymore for Ryoma?" Rinko asked worriedly while she stared at the stairs where Ryoma went up to after winning another tournament. She was like a living dead nowadays.

"I agree with Kaa-san, Oyaji," Ryoga replied as he remembered that it was the 4th consecutive tournament that his Chibi-suke won. He wasn't really happy since his sister isn't happy.

Nanjiroh thought for a while. "Alright then! Pack all your bags and we're heading out to Japan!!" Nanjiroh shouted with a big grin on his face.

+Somewhere in Japan+

Fuji Shuusuke was trying to sleep but somehow he couldn't. He was in DEEP thought that something or someone was bothering him to death… He sighed. He missed his Ryo-chan after all. After 7 years of separation he was longing for her. He missed her voice, her whining, and especially her smile which is hard to forget.

He sighed once more.

'_Why do we have to be separated after all these years?_' Fuji thought looking at the night sky. The stars weren't visible and the night was eerie.

Fuji was bored and decided to watch something in TV. After scanning a few channels he was shocked he spotted an emerald teen that was playing in the 16 years old division tennis tournament in California, USA.

"Ryo-chan?" he muttered out loud. He was happy that he saw his childhood friend once more. She was more beautiful and maybe a she's a stronger player. _'You've grown quite a lot,'_ he smiled but turned into a frown when he noticed something.

He saw in his childhood friend's golden eyes the loneliness and coldness that she felt around her. He never saw his friend like this; as in never in his life. He never saw the happiness that would always fill her eyes. The happy face was already a sad one that broke Fuji's heart. He was thinking that it was his fault for leaving her; leaving the girl that he adored so much. He thought that if he didn't leave her or rather leave her side she would probably be smiling in the court having fun for there was someone to support her in anyway.

'_I wish I was there beside you'_ Fuji thought fishing something out from his left pocket. He then put the little thing in front of his face while it shimmered in the light the moon gave off. It was the necklace that Ryoma gave him seven years ago. Fuji would always keep it in his pocket and make it a good luck charm for something and, indeed it did was a good luck charm for him.

'_GAME SET WON BY RYOMA ECHIZEN 6-O. RYOMA ECHIZEN HAS WON THIS TOURNAMENT AND WILL NOW RECEIVE HER TROPHY,'_ Fuji heard the referee announce and he smiled. Ryoma would never be beaten by anyone weak spirited.

'_I wish I could be with you always,'_ Fuji thought once more making him droopy. Then when he focused his cerulean eyes with those golden eyes, his vision was getting blurry he was already getting sleepy.

"_You will be always in my heart, Ryoma,"_ Fuji muttered once last time and has fallen on his bed and slept there peacefully but, unknown to him he didn't sense that his mother was there peaking inside his room for she was awaken from the sound of the television that was coming from her son's room.

She smiled widely. She didn't expect for her son to have someone in his heart already. That little son of hers; she giggled. _'I think I'm going to have a daughter-in-law,'_ she thought while chuckling silently

_**TBC :3**_

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I hope you like my 2nd chapter :3

I think it's not good. -_-

PLEASE REVIEW!!! :3


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own POT or any of its characters._

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**Tales of Two Childhood Friends**

Chapter 3

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_The best _

_and most beautiful things_

_in this world _

_cannot be seen_

_or even heard, but_

_must be felt _

_with the heart_

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The President of the Tennis Association, Steven Mayer, announced the news that the Samurai (Nanjiroh Echizen), the Demigod (Ryoga Echizen) and The Princess of Tennis (Ryoma Echizen) would be heading out to different countries and that The Princess won't be playing tennis for awhile. It indeed shocked America… I mean the whole world. Of course, who wouldn't be shocked that The Princess of Tennis would actually quit a sport that you have competed after all the many trophies and competition she won? It was the one of the top rumor in the WHOLE world.

While Mr. Steven Meyer announced that the Echizen family had moved they, the Echizen family, had arrived to their destination, Tokyo, Japan.

+Taxi +

Ryoma was sitting comfortably on the car seat when she felt an urge to sneeze. "Achoooooooo!" Ryoma sneezed loudly making the whole family look at her and snicker. Hell, that was embarrassing, for her anyways. She never was this embarrassed.

Ryoga was laughing the loudest. He doesn't even care if his sister was glaring at him and that he could die anytime soon. "Someone's talking about you Chibi-suke," Ryoga teasingly informed Ryoma. He just couldn't stop laughing, could he?

Ryoma, this time, had the urge to punch her troublesome brother on his not-so-handsome face. "Che," Ryoma replied, already controlled since a Himalayan cat was rubbing her hand with its cheek. She was counting in his head while trying to ignore her brother's childish antics.

"Meow," Karupin meowed, which was meant for as a sigh for her.

+Somewhere in America+

Fan girls were outside the Echizen household. Each one of them was causing a commotion inside the neighborhood. "Wah!! Ryoga-sama!! Don't leave me!!" One of Ryoga's fan girls whined loudly. Upon hearing her shrilly voice, there would be at least 2 people who lost their hearing.

One was kneeling on the pavement while crying her heart out. "I'll find you where ever you go Ryoga-sama!!" She looks awful! She could pass for a movie actress who is already begging for money.

The strangest thing was an old woman was standing there with the other fan girls. "I wish I was your wife!" She shouted making people stare at her like she had three heads. She was also crying big, fat tears.

+Back to the Taxi+

"Achooooo!!" Ryoga was sneezing uncontrollably in the cab. The driver was looking worriedly while staying as far as possible from Nanjiroh who was in the passenger's seat beside him. Ryoga was still sneezing; seems like his fan girls are not stopping until he comes back. As if!

Ryoma was laughing loudly. This is a really weird family, I must say. "Look who's talking," she raised a mocking eyebrow at his brother while smirking all the way.

Ryoga was sneezing while glaring at his little sister. "Oh, shut up!"

Ryoma growled at his older brother. "No, you shut up Aniki!!" Ryoma made a comeback, not minding whether there was a person they didn't know that could hear their conversation.

While the siblings were fighting, Nanjiroh, who was currently sleeping, didn't mind the loud blabbing sounds of his son's and daughters' reckless and childish fight. He was used to this after all. The driver of the taxi just sweat drop at the scene behind him.

The driver, who was more of a peaceful type, didn't want fights to happen inside the car. "So you kids play tennis huh?" The taxi driver asked making the two siblings stop their reckless and childish fight. He stared at them through the rear view mirror.

The two siblings blinked in surprise of the sudden question the driver (who they didn't know) asked them. "Hai," the siblings said in unison, unable to think about what they should say next. They looked at each other then looked at the driver again. _'Should I say something else?' _The two thought at the same time.

A few minutes of silence… Nothing was heard because of the confusion of the two Echizens. "I heard that the Samurai, the Demigod and The Princess of Tennis was going to somewhere in Asia," the taxi driver informed not knowing who he was talking too. He seems to know a lot about tennis.

"Hmm… Yes," they answered.

The driver laughed at their non-social behavior. "Maybe you kids can be like them when you do your best," the driver smiled looking at the mirror where he saw the two siblings quiet and a cat taking a nap at her mistress' lap. He saw the two nod unsurely.

"Meow," Karupin meowed once again.

+Temple+

They have arrived at the place where they were staying. "Wow, it's huge," Ryoga muttered while he was looking around the area.

"Hehe" Nanjiroh laughed

"Why a temple of all houses here in Tokyo" Ryoma asked

"Actually there were no more houses available. Luckily the owner of the temple was on vacation so we asked if we could stay here for awhile" Nanjiroh explained

"More like bribed" the siblings muttered

"Not quite correct Ryoma-chan, Ryoga-kun" a feminine voice said

"Nanako-chan!!" They shouted

"You've grown up so fast!!" Nanako said while pulling the siblings and Karupin into a big deathly hug

"Nanako nee…" Ryoma started without air

"We can't…argh…bre-breath" Ryoga finished Ryoma's sentence without any air too

"Meo-meow!!" Karupin meowed for help

Nanako released them

"Ah…gomen, gomen" Nanako said in an apologetic look

"It's ok" Ryoga said

"Aniki's right…we haven't seen each other for awhile" Ryoma said as she tugged her cap to cover her face from the blush that was creeping on her cheeks

"Purr" Karupin purred

"Hey! Let's get going you slow pokes!! I'm getting hungry!!" Nanjiroh said from the front door

"Hai, hai" the 3 teens said in unison

"Come on Karupin" Ryoma said

"Meow" she responded to her master

As they, Karupin and Ryoma walked inside along with Nanako, Ryoga asked himself

'Why's Karupin so important to Chibi-suke?'

"Oy slow poke! If you don't hurry back inside I'm gonna let you sleep outside" Ryoma grinned

Snapping out of his thoughts Ryoga said

"Oy that's hurtful you know Chibi-suke!" Ryoga shouted acting like he was hurt from the suggestion that his sister told him.

**TBC :3**

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A super short chapter again. =))

Please review!

Please tell me if it's bad or good… It will be very helpful to me. :

Thank you!! :3


	4. Chapter 4

**sorry that it took so long !! :((**

**school work :|**

**and i couldn't find a good editor "-_-**

**beware: wrong grammar :)) and typo **

**I'm not good at English :(( It's my worst subject!!**

**btw, thanks Kat-Sakura for telling me my typos :D**

**on with the story!!**

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Tales of Two Childhood Friends

Chapter 4

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_An act of love that fails is just as much a part of the divine life _

_as an act of love that succeeds, _

_for love is measured by fullness, _

_not by reception._

_-Harold Lokes_

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Ryoga's POV

After a few days here in Tokyo, Japan Chibi-suke and I were already used to the time zone here. Of course who wouldn't be used to it when the two of us kept traveling from one country to another whenever Chibi-suke and I would have a tournament and/or during our vacations with Kaa-san when she has time to spend with us? Yet even though we have experienced jet lag I couldn't help myself but yawn. I sat down on the couch thinking why I was sleepy though I 'slept' early. Thinking about yesterday night I then remembered why I feel so sluggish.

'Oh yeah I was cracking a case yesterday' I frowned knowing that I didn't crack my so called case.

I sat at our couch and opened one eye hearing footsteps going downstairs, knowing that it would be Chibi-suke since we were the only one who're inside the house along with Karupin. I then saw Chibi-suke enter the living room slowly, her left hand rubbing her sleepy eyes, with a feline behind her back that was happily following her…guess Karupin's going to have breakfast already.

"Ohayo, Chibi-suke, Karupin" I greeted them a good morning

"Ohayo… (yawn)" Chibi-suke greeted back lazily with a yawn as she walked towards the kitchen

"Meow meow meow" Karupin too, greeted back as she followed Chibi-suke towards the kitchen

I looked at Chibi-suke, following her every movement, as she lazily got Karupin's plate and food from the cabinet that was enough for her to reach. Such a chibi I must say. She was always happy when she feeds that furry cat. I should warn her though, that cat's getting fat every time she ate! She's the size of a watermelon already! I think her weight too, is comparable to a watermelon…or maybe much heavier. A watermelon and a half, maybe?

'Why is Karupin so important to Chibi-suke?' I thought thinking hard, ruffling my emerald locks furiously. Thinking the same question over and over again since yesterday night up to the point that it was already morning

For some reason it keeps bothering me. I don't know why it's been bothering me but it's really bothering me! I mean it's just a cat that was given to her, no reason at all for me to get curious and moreover be bothered. And why the heck am I repeating the word bothered?! Oh whatever…so troublesome (A/N: are you Shikamaru?!) back to the topic, I suppose.

I would always wonder where Chibi-suke got that big furry Himalayan cat which is only found here in Japan. But Kaa-san said that they moved when Chibi-suke was 9 months old and that she got Karupin when she was 6 during her birthday …before I arrived. I was 12 back then. That was really weird.

End of POV

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_Flashback_

_"Ne Chib-suke why is Karupin so important to you?" a 12 year old Ryoga asked, looking curious at a 6 year old Ryoma who was playing happily with Karupin who was playing (scratching) with an old tennis ball that belonged to them_

_"Ah! A-ano…you see…Karupin, matte!!" Ryoma shouted and blushed but soon chased Karupin who ran away from her wee arms._

_'Good thing Karupin ran. I don't want Aniki to know the reason why I adore Karupin so much. He would annoy me to no end if I told him!' Ryoma thought, a faint blush still visible on her cubby face, as an image of a honey brown haired little kid with a gentle smile on his face appeared inside Ryoma's mind._

_"Sigh…Mada Mada Daze Chibi-suke" Ryoga sighed walking inside their house trying looking for their mother so that he can ask the thing that was bothering him. Not that it was his business or anything. Well it was kind of his business since Ryoma was his sister and it's his duty to know. But he'll never admit that so he just thought that it was just bothering him. Just bothering him. He sighed. (A/N: i like the word bother w)_

_Seeing his mother inside the kitchen, Ryoga walked briskly towards her, hoping that she could give him a decent answer. She was the only one who he can talk to properly._

_"Ne ne Kaa-san" Ryoga tugged Rinko's sleeves for attention_

_"What's wrong Ryoga dear?" Rinko asked as she stopped whatever she was doing and faced Ryoga._

_"Ano…I just want to ask you why Karupin's important to-" Ryoga was interrupted by Rinko_

_"Ryoma?" Rinko finished Ryoga's sentence earning a nod from him and a slight tint of blush from her son's slightly matured face. He was a growing man after all_

_"It's for you to find out" Rinko smiled warmly, poking Ryoga's nose as she resumed her undone work making Ryoga sigh miserably and rub his nose slightly because of the sudden touch of his new mother_

_"Demo…if you really want to know" Rinko smiled seeing that her son became attentive once more_

_"You can ask your father" Rinko chuckled while Ryoga did an anime fall_

_"Hell, no way! Not in a million years Kaa-san!" Ryoga said backing a little with a defensive stance_

_"Oh? Why is that Ryoga dear?" asked Rinko, a small smile on her face as she stirred the stew that she was making for their lunch_

_"Kaa-san you know Oyaji never gives us a decent answer" Ryoga puffed, really irritated as he remembered a memory when he asked something to his father but was answered it wrong…very wrong_

_"Honto ne?" Rinko chuckled at Ryoga's antics_

_"Hai…It's better if I find it out on my own the hard way than ask that baka Oyaji who'll give you a stupid answer that doesn't seem to be connected to the question" Ryoga muttered, hands inside his pocket as he went back to where he was a while ago._

_"Thanks anyway Kaa-san" muttered Ryoga slightly turning around to face his mother and was welcomed with a small smile and a wave_

_"You're a good brother Ryoga" Rinko smiled as she saw her children along with Nanjiroh play happily outside their house_

_'He just came here after a few months and he already cares for Ryoma' Rinko though as she went back preparing lunch for her 'new' family_

_'He'll be a better brother to her,' she thought once more and paid attention to her cooking, hoping that it didn't burn or anything_

_End of Flashback_

* * *

"Kaa-san's really mysterious" Ryoga muttered eyeing Ryoma who looked like their mother in various ways

"Oy Aniki" Ryoma said

"…" no answer

"Oy" Ryoma spoke louder, a hint of irritation found on her voice

"…" still no answer

"Oy BAKA NO ANIKI!!!" Ryoma spoke even louder which made Ryoga snap out of his thoughts

"What?!" Ryoga asked. He was thinking and he was interrupted

"You were staring at me like an old geezer" Ryoma said loudly while munching a toast

"Wha-?! An old geezer?! Who's an old geezer?!" Ryoga asked irritatingly who stood from the couch that he sat on awhile ago and went to the doorway that connected the living room and the kitchen

"You" she said calmly another toast on her hand

"Why I outta!" Ryoga clenched his fist he knew she was mocking him.

"Hey did you know, when somebody stares at blank spaces they lose brain cells?" Ryoma asked Ryoga with a smirk forming on her face as she popped another toast inside her mouth. Ryoga just nodded and seemed to calm down a bit (A/N: what Ryoma said is true…! I think ^w^)

"Uhuh…what about it?" Ryoga crossed his arms near his chest pouting a little as he saw Ryoma eat two toasts at the same time

"So that's why you ain't in College, Aniki" Ryoma teased Ryoga after she swallowed the two toasts.

"That's it!" Ryoga growled as he jumped and went towards Ryoma who took another toast from the plate and placed it inside her mouth.

"I'll get you! You Chibi!" Ryoga scowled as he neared Ryoma

"I got yo-" Ryoma stepped aside as he landed on the cold floor

"Ouff!" his face met the floor…hard

"That hurts!" Ryoga sat up and nursed his nose that was red (A/N: Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer :D okaii I'm being mean to Ryoga…Gomen Ryoga-san :D )

"Why'd you step aside?!" Ryoga asked nursing his poor nose, a few stains of tears visible on his cheeks (A/N: hey who wouldn't cry out of pain?)

"I'll get hurt" Ryoma said as she devoured all the toast that Nanako prepared for them, and she thought that she would not leave a single one for Ryoga who hasn't eaten breakfast yet…not even crumbs

"Whatever" Ryoga pouted still nursing his nose

"Meow" Karupin meowed happily as she ate her breakfast

'I'm happy Karupin's happy' Ryoma thought with a smile yet it was a sad one

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Ryoma's POV

'I'm happy Karupin's happy' I thought with a smile on my face yet it was sad at the same time

It's been years since Karupin has been with me, 7 years I presume.

7 years huh? 7 years since Karupin came to my life. 7 years since Shuusuke and I have parted ways. 7 years I have been longing for him to be beside me. 7 years since I've been working hard to achieve my goal in beating Oyaji and Aniki and also maybe him as well. And it's been 7 years that I have been in pain. Why am I in pain? I know that I'm in pain because I've been longing to see Shuusuke since he is after all my childhood friend but this pain…it feels so different. What is this fuzzy feeling that I am feeling right now?

I was always sad after Shuusuke left me without anything for me to remember him. Luckily, he bought me a gift, which was Karupin for my 6th birthday (Christmas Day in Japan). I was so happy that a childhood friend would even bother to buy me a gift, a Himalayan cat from Japan, and have it delivered to the other side of the world. Sweet isn't it? Yet when I see Karupin I tend to get sad seeing Shuusuke's angelic smile appearing in my thoughts.

But why am I sad? I bet he already has a girlfriend seeing that no girl can resist that feminine face of his. I chuckled…yet deep inside it hurts

End of POV

* * *

Somewhere in Japan

"Achii" Fuji sneezed quietly yet the man beside him, despite the busy streets of Tokyo, can hear him sneeze

"You okay Fuji?" a matured voice asked

"I'm alright," Fuji said with his angelic smile yet his heart hurts so much for no reason

"Ne Tezuka I think we should hurry, I can see _your_ fangirls already" Fuji said with a chuckle as voices of fangirls can be heard along the busy streets of Tokyo. Everyone can guess that they were fangirls of Tezuka since some were shouting 'Tezuka-kun! Please go out with me' while the others were shouting 'Tezuka-sama! Please be my boyfriend' with hearts on their eyes, drooling slightly from the corner of their mouth…it was disgusting

"Ah" the matured voice said which belonged to Tezuka. He always wondered how he got a fanclub when the man beside him was hotter than him, he thought. He was strict and cold, a person that didn't show any emotion at all, he admitted. He was even called the Ice Man because of his stern face that hardly showed any emotions. However these girls from their school and other girls from another school were falling for him head over heels. Weird. And they even think it's cool that you don't show your emotion!

"Tezuka-_kun_ if we don't hurry not only will you be the one who's going to get into trouble but also your comrade" smiled Fuji which made Tezuka shivered as his friend added a –kun on his name

"…" Tezuka was speechless he was caught off guard (frightened) for he thought his friend was planning something bad or he just wants to see him with a frightened face despite the fact that he is the so called "Ice Man" in their school

"Let's go ne?" Fuji tilted his head to the right innocently and grab Tezuka's right hand and ran off, away from those fangirls of his friend.

"Kyaa!! Tezuka-sama's with Fuji-sama!!" the fangirls squealed

"Hey look! They're holding hands!!!" more fangirls squealed

* * *

Back to the Echizen Siblings

"Chibi-suke!" Ryoga shouted

"Wha? What do you want?" Ryoma snap out of her thoughts

"Now who's gonna lose her brain cells" Ryoga smirked teasing her a little

'Pay back time for telling me that I'm too stupid to go to College' Ryoga smirked

"Che" Ryoma che-d his brother (A/N: is there such a word? X3)

"Oy! Kaa-san said that you should go out and check out Tokyo seeing that you would be going to school here" Ryoga told Ryoma not really caring

"Nande?" Ryoma asked as she crouched down to return Karupin's plate and food inside the cabinet

"She said that you should check out the environment so you'll know the place and won't get lost" Ryoga sat on the couch smirking at the last part that his sister might get lost he then stared at the ceiling. He was going to lose some more brain cells, but he didn't mind.

"Ah" Ryoma said standing up and went upstairs to go back to her room. "Maybe a nap" she thought

'I wonder what's on her mind' Ryoga thought looking at Ryoma's figure that was slowly going upstairs as Karupin stayed behind for she cannot go upstairs due to her big fat belly that seemed to tire her down immediately.

'Good thing I teased her a little a while ago. 'She was brooding, for Kami-sama's sake...And that is not good for her health' Ryoga thought a little concerned as he stood up and went to the kitchen to eat his breakfast (A/N: she's like Sasuke ^w^)

"Ara? Where are the toasts?" Ryoga muttered blinking in confusion seeing the exact plate he saw that was filled with toast awhile go was... gone and clean (A/N: the toasts are gone and the plate is clean...no crumbs)

'I thought this plate was filled with toast but now it's clean! Not a single crumb on it!' Ryoga thought picking up the clean plate and started thinking who the culprit would be…until it hit him.

'Don't tell me!?' Ryoga thought his eyes widening as he slammed his hand on the table gripping the plate that he was holding on his right hand

"CHI-BI-SU-KE!!!!" Ryoga shouted vigorously for Ryoma to hear…and unfortunately, the neighbors as well.

"Hehehe…" Ryoma snickered upstairs

'Pay back time Aniki' Ryoma thought grinning happily

"CHIBI-SUKE! WHY DID YOU DEVOUR ALL OF THE TOAST WHEN NANAKO MADE 20 OF THEM FOR THE BOTH OF US AND NOT FOR YOUR FREAKING HUGE STOMACH ONLY!" shouted Ryoga angrily as the neighbors who heard him sweatdrop at the thought that a mere girl can devour 20 toast in one seating... Ryoga was freaking hungry! He was freaking hungry with all the thinking that's being compiled in his head! The worst part is, after he thinks too much is he ALWAYS gets hungry…maybe cranky too. Maybe Ryoma was right…Ryoga was losing his brain cells and the fact that he is being a old geezer who gets to be cranky.

"Mada Mada Dane Aniki!" Ryoma shouted back, the grin still not leaving her face.

'Why you little monster?!' Ryoga placed both his hands on his waist and fumed but it soon faded away as he settled down hearing Ryoma's footsteps hurriedly going back to her room.

'Maa…at least a part of her came back' he smiled as he began to prepare his own breakfast

'At least I took some Culinary lessons from Nanako and Kaa-san' he smiled inwardly

* * *

well that's it!

I hope it's a good chappie :D

I think it's bad "-_-

Sorry if there are typo errors :|

Anyway please review :D

make it 45 to 50 reviews ! :D or i won't continue this :))


	5. Chapter 5

here's another chapter ! :D

hope you enjoy it! :D

thank you to those who reviewed my previous chapter ;)

be sure to go to my profile and **vote for the poll that i posted!** :D

it's a **very random poll **=))

anyways...on with the story :)

the quote...i don't know why i wrote it =)) i don't even think it makes any sense at all :D XD

**beware: typo and wrong gramming :))**

**Disclaimer: don't own Prince of Tennis**

* * *

_You were my first love yet you have yours already_

_-mine!!_

* * *

**Tales of Two Childhood Friends**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

It was good thing though that Ryoga kicked Ryoma out of their house along with her tennis gear since she got bored and just slept inside their house, so she just stood up from the bench that she was sitting on and decided to stroll around to check out the environment in Tokyo, Japan (A/N: By the way Ryoma's wearing the clothes that she (he) wore in the first episode in the anime coz' many people will know that she's the Princess of Tennis. :D ) It was a quite a friendly country that's what Ryoma described after strolling it for 2 hours or so. (A/N: it's so long, right?)

'What a nice place this is' Ryoma thought smiling a little as she looked at the sky while walking down the streets.

'Since I have my tennis bag, I think I should better train now. Don't want my tennis skills to get rusty' Ryoma thought looking for a street tennis court to train.

'I better ask someone… I'm still not familiar here' Ryoma thought trying to look for someone to ask directions. She then saw a group of guys that was ahead of her just standing there but, to Ryoma's annoyance they weren't just standing there for no reason, they were surrounding (flirting) a long braided girl (A/N: guess who) who was quite terrified. Ryoma just sighed

'Guess I have no choice but to help her' Ryoma thought as she went towards the group of guys and the girl and, made an appearance

"Hey I didn't know that there were Japanese guys that would take advantage of a defenseless girl. And I thought Japan was a friendly county, guess I was wrong" Ryoma grinned covering her face with her Fila cap as the 3 boys looked at the brat that dared to take away their attention from the braided girl. The one on the middle that was the leader spoke first.

"What did you say brat? Aren't you a Japenese citizen also?" the leader questioned Ryoma with an irritated look on his ugly face

"Nothing and I am Japanese...but not a guy" Ryoma said, muttering the last part as she went toward the girl and grabbed her arm trying to walk away from those maniacs but the leader just grabbed Ryoma's right shoulder for her to stop with a grin pasted on his face.

"Hey brat, where are you going with my toy?" the leader asked as he tightens his grip on Ryoma's shoulder but Ryoma who was standing there staring at the floor, didn't flinch even a little.

'Grr… there's no other choice is there?' Ryoma asked herself as she glared at the guy with all sorts of emotions. It was mostly the feeling of loneliness, jealousy and despair. It was so intense that the leader was shaken a little that he spaced out a few seconds as Ryoma and the girl tried to escape.

'Hey dude you alright?' one of the leader's friend asked as he snapped out of his thoughts he then felt angry that a mere child has overpowered him with just a 'simple' glare. (A/N: simple ey...)

"Go get them!" he ordered pointing at Ryoma and the long haired girl that was a few feet away from them.

"Hai!" both of them (friends of the leader) said as they tried to attacked Ryoma

"We should run" Ryoma muttered to the girl seeing the friends of the guy nearing them, but the girl just said an "Eh?!" to Ryoma who was shocked that they have to run.

"De-demo, I'm not good at running" the girl said embarrassingly as she tried not to look at Ryoma.

'There's no time left. Oh well' Ryoma thought as she ran fast to get away from the minions' of the leader.

They ran and ran, turned to the left and to the right but they, the friends of the ugly leader, were still following them not slowing a bit even though they were already breathing hard. While Ryoma wasn't tired at all but she was worried about the girl that she was holding, she was panting really badly.

'This is a disaster. I just want to train a little but I'm stuck here running and looking for a safe place. Oh well, this is training as well' Ryoma sighed as she ran full speed ahead and turned right were there were many streets to turn to but, Ryoma choose to go to the stairs that was ahead of her. She went full speed ahead so that the guys following them wouldn't notice which direction they were heading.

'Good thing I lost them' Ryoma smirked, hearing the leader's friends voice fading away.

Now that they were safe from those guys, Ryoma let go of the girl's hand and placed her hand inside her jacket's pocket. The girl beside her was breathing heavily trying to catch her breath. To Ryoma's guess that girl was obviously not used to running at all.

'Japanese girls aren't that sporty nowadays' Ryoma sighed

"You ok?" Ryoma asked staring at the panting girl

"A-arigato" the girl said in between her breath still trying to catch her breath

"No problem" Ryoma said as the girl looked at her then blushed

"A-ano!! My name's Ryu-ryuzaki Sa-sakuno!! It's nice to meet you!!" the girl that named herself as Ryuzaki Sakuno introduced as she lowered her head and played with her fingers. Ryoma couldn't help but just blink.

'Is she sick or something? And why is she so embarrassed?' Ryoma thought

'I've never met a 'boy' this cute (hot) before and, 'he's' eyes are so…so different. It's golden like…like the sun. It's so unusual' Sakuno thought trying to look at Ryoma's face but failed miserably since she didn't have the guts to do so.

"Echizen Ryoma…" Ryoma said as she looked at the sky

'Echizen Ryoma, huh? I think I've heard that name before.' Sakuno thought.

"Oh…so Ryoma-kun do you know where are we?" Sakuno asked trying to start a conversation while Ryoma was quite startled that someone actually called her by her first name even though they just met. Weird I must say.

"We're in the tennis court" Ryoma said deadpanned with an isn't-it-obvious look on her face. There were a couple of tennis courts that surrounded them with two people who had a racket on either their right/left hand, playing a match inside the court trying to retrieve the yellow ball that came from the opposite side of the court.

"…" Sakuno was silent and was ashamed at the same time. How could have she not see it that they were in the tennis courts. It was something embarrassing, asking something that was rather obvious and the worst part was that Sakuno embarrassed herself in front of the 'boy' that she already had a crush on, what a shameful day it was to Sakuno.

'This is so embarrassing!!' Sakuno shouted in her mind as she closed her eyes fighting her tears that were almost coming out she didn't want to be a cry baby anymore like before she was in elementary. She then wiped away the tears that were forming in her eyes.

'Good thing Ryoma-kun didn't see it' Sakuno thought

"Didn't see what?" Ryoma asked as she faced the red face girl

"A-ano!! Forget about it!!" Sakuno said as she turned around trying hide her face to Ryoma

"There they are!" someone shouted who seems to be one of those guys earlier

"I've found you," the leader said while going towards Ryoma

"No. Your friend found me not you…baka," Ryoma said with a smirk on her face

"Why you stupid little brat!" the leader said preparing to attack but was knocked down by a stray tennis ball that hit him very, very hard

"Ah…gomen gomen…I think I hitted it very hard." A spiky haired guy with violet eyes grinned as he tapped his racket on his right shoulder.

"Hoi! Hoi! Aren't you guys from Ginka? Nya!" a red-head guy with a band-aid on his right cheek said as he sways back and forth

'Show offs' Ryoma thought frowning a little bit

"Hey! Isn't that Seigaku's Regulars Momoshiro Takeshi and Kikumaru Eiji?!" one of the leader's friend said shocked taking a few steps backward

'Oh!! So that's Obaa-san's students' Sakuno thought quite surprise. She didn't know that she could meet two of them before classes started

"No way!" the other one said in disbelief

"Let's get out of here!" said the leader running away from the group as he regained his consciousness, followed by his two friends.

"Cowards" Ryoma muttered

"Yatta! You better run, you bullies! Nya!" the red-head guy said as he jump up and down

"Hey you guys alright?" the spiky haired guy asked

"Hai" both teens said in unison

"A-arigato for saving us…ano" Sakuno thanked but thought what were their names even though the friend of the leaders' already shouted it

"Ah gomen. We haven't introduced ourselves. My name's Momoshiro Takeshi but you can call me Momo-chan" the spiky haired guy who was Momoshiro or Momo introduced

"And this guy is…" Momo continued but was interrupted as the red-head guy interrupted him.

"Nya! Momo I can introduce myself you know" the neko said angrily waving his arms in the air

"Hai hai" Momo said trying to calm down his angry sempai as his sempai faced Ryoma and Sakuno, a cheerful face seen on his cat like face

"My name's Kikumaru Eiji! Nya! I'm one of Seigaku's Regular and half of the Golden's Pa-hmm…!!" Eiji was stopped since Momo covered his mouth

"That's too much Eiji-sempai" Momo said as he let go off his hands to let his sempai breath, seeing that the color of his sempai's face was turning to pale colors.

"Gomen" Momo muttered to his sempai

"But I was introducing myself?! Nya!" Eiji wailed like a child

"That was too much information sempai," Momo pointed out

"Fine…Nya…" Eiji muttered while crossing his arms near his chest pouting a little

"So what's your name then?" Momo asked both Ryoma and Sakuno

"I'm Ryuzaki Sakuno. The granddaughter of your coach in Seigaku's Boys' Tennis Team" Sakuno said as she bowed

"Nya! Honto?" Eiji asked with a shock face while Momo just sighed, slapping his forehead

'I think Eiji-sempai wasn't paying attention when Coach said that her granddaughter, Ryuzaki Sakuno-chan was going to Seigaku and that we should better treat her nicely or will be out off the team...or worst' Momo thought paling a bit as he imagined their coach as an old dare devil ready to attacked it's prey. Momo shivered, not a good thing to remember

"And you are?" Momo asked Ryoma as he faced her

"Echi-" before Ryoma could introduce herself she was cut off by a certain neko.

"Ochibi!" Eiji cheered happily jumping up and down and finally clutch Ryoma...hard (A/N: that outta hurt)

"E-eiji-sempai! He can't breath!" Momo said pointing to Ryoma whose face was turning color purple already. Eiji then let Ryoma go.

"Gomen Ochibi" as Eiji apologized

"Geez… Sempai you shouldn't act that way to a person you just met" Momo said as he scratch his head. He was embarrassed at the behavior of his sempai.

'I feel like that I'm the sempai whenever his around with me' Momo thought as he looked at Eiji who was still apologizing at his new friend.

'I feel your pain Oishi-sempai' Momo thought thinking of their vice-captain

"But Momo!! He's so adorable!! Look at him! He looks like a cat! Nya!" Eiji said jumping up and down while Ryoma just twitch at the comment that her soon to be sempai said since nobody called her adorable. She usually kills them when they say the word adorable or short but she just controlled her anger since she just met them and she didn't want to have enemies even though they just arrived in Japan yesterday.

'I think I should take Anger Management classes' Ryoma wondered

"I'm very sorry for my sempai's action" Momo said as he bowed. He was losing his pride.

"No problem… It reminds me about my big brother's actions" Ryoma said as she grinned

* * *

Echizen's Residence

"Achoo!!" Ryoga sneezed

"Oy Ryoga you okay?" Nanjiroh asked as he passed by Ryoga who was sneezing nonstop

"Hai… I think someone was just talking about me," Ryoga said as he scratch his nose making Nanjiroh grin

"Hey maybe it's those American cuties in mini skirt whose talking about you" Nanjiroh grinned wider as he imagined an American girl in mini skirt. He was drooling already setting off to Lala Land again

"…" Ryoga just stared at his father who was in his destination already, Lala Land.

'And he's the so called Samurai Nanjiroh' Ryoga thought irritatingly.

* * *

Back to Ryoma and the others

"Okay kiddo, so what's your name?" Momo said enthusiastically giving Ryoma a warm smile

'Kiddo?!' Ryoma thought disbelievingly

"Tell us! Tell us! Nya!" Eiji bounced up and down

"Echizen Ryoma, nice to meet you" Ryoma greeted not caring if she just used her name in public

"It's nice to meet you too, Echi-" Momo paused until it hit him

"Don't tell me you're THE ECHIZEN RYOMA?!" Momo yelled in shock

'Good thing we're the only once or I'll beat the hell out of him' Ryoma thought angrily thinking that her ears might be bleeding from her soon to be sempai's voice

"Hoi! Hoi! Momo-chan! You're being too loud! Nya!" Eiji said as he scratched his ear while Momo just gawked at his sempai, thinking if his sempai was just playing stupid or he was just a plain stupid person.

"Eiji-sempai!! Are you out of your mind! His name is exactly the same as the Princess!" Momo said as he grabbed his sempai's collar pulling him closer, shaking him madly as Eiji just covered his ears.

"Are you listening?!" Momo shouted shaking Eiji more, making Eiji say 'Nya!' at every shake that his kouhai gave him

"Momo stop!!!!!!!!" Eiji shouted whilst Momo just put him down

"Nya! Of course I am! Mou, Momo-chan I think you're the one who's stupid… Hime-chan is a girl not a boy," Eiji pointed out making Ryoma twitch on the word 'HIME-CHAN?!'

'I guess whatever my gender is this neko sempai of mine has pet name for me' Ryoma sighed, eyeing the two teens.

"But 'his' name is the same as the Princess!" Momo shouted pointing at Ryoma

"You know pointing at someone is bad" Ryoma muttered as she stared at the finger that Momo pointed at her.

"Must be another Echizen. He must be related to her or something" Sakuno thought loudly as both Eiji and Momo, who calmed down, grinned thinking the same thing

"If you're related to her…" Momo started looking at Ryoma intensely

"…then you must be good as her!" Eiji continued Momo's sentence as he looked at Ryoma doing the same thing to what Momo did.

"Play me!" both yelled in unison as they smirked to one another

"Hehe…so Eiji-sempai…you have the same thought as me, ne?" Momo's smirk got wider, glaring coldly at his sempai as Eiji flinch a little but didn't gave up since he wanted to play his cute little Ochibi.

"Same, Nya" Eiji's smirks went wider as well, glaring a more colder one back to Momo

Silence…

"I'll be the one who's gonna play him!" both shouted at the same time

"No I am!" Momo protested

"No! It's gonna be me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Only me! Nyaaaaaaaaaah!" Eiji whined like a child, again

"Be a role model to your kouhai and let them play first!" Momo shouted defendingly

"No! Respect and listen to your sempais and let them play first! Nya!" Eiji waved his arms in the air anxiously wanting to play the younger teenager

As both of them kept on fighting Sakuno, the spectator, just kept quite and sweat drop at the commotion the two friends were doing, fighting like children that wants the last piece of lollipop available in a candy shop. While our little Princess who got bored and irritated from the wails and screams wanting to play her that she has been hearing in front of her for about two minutes, she just decided to leave. She was just wasting her time on stupid things. She didn't even have the trouble of leaving the place; it was a piece of cake, she just excused herself from Sakuno and didn't care less about the two guys who were still fighting over her, she then left.

"Let's settle this!" Momo raised his left fist on the air

'Oh this is bad!' Sakuno thought badly covering her eyes with her hands

"You're on! I'll be the one who's gonna win! Nya!" Eiji agreed as he raised his right hand on the air as well

"One…Two" Sakuno peeked

"Three…!" both Eiji and Momo raised their fist higher

"Rock-Paper-Scissors!!" both of them yelled as they lowered their fist. It was Rock versus Paper, Momo's win

"Yatta! I won!" Momo cried in happiness while Sakuno sweat drop a little. They were certainly like children

"Sob… Sob…" Eiji sobbed near the benches of the park

"Ano…" Sakuno interrupted Momo's happy time and Eiji's sobbing moments.

"Hey! Where's Echizen?" Momo thought loudly scanning the area but she was nowhere to be found

"Hehe…" Sakuno laughed nervously while Eiji was backed to his happy go lucky mood he knew what Sakuno was about to say

"Don't tell me!" Momo yelled with a shock face. He can almost imitate the famous painting "The Scream" (A/N: =)) )

"Nyahaha! Poor Momo-chan!" Eiji said clutching his stomach with tears forming in the corner of his eyes as Momo was sobbing. The tables have been turned!

"This is all your fault!" Momo shouted pointing at Eiji who was still clutching his stomach

"Nya?!" Eiji was shocked to what Momo just told him

"If you had let me play first awhile ago then he wouldn't have left!" Momo said irritated accusing his sempai

"Nya! It wasn't my fault!" Eiji said defensively

"It was!" Momo shouted

"Nuhuh!" Eiji retorted back

"Grr..you!" Momo ruffled his spiky hair and prepared to attack his neko sempai

"You'll pay for this!" Momo growled

"Nya?!" Eiji shouted

Once again they fought making Sakuno sigh

'This is going to be a long day' Sakuno thought as Momo pinched Eiji's cheeks hard while Eiji just headlock Momo.

* * *

**READ THIS!! **

that's it!

oh yeah the quote that i wrote is for Sakuno =)) i think =))

it's like her "first love" is Ryoma yet Ryoma already has her first love even though she isn't aware of it XD Fuji... =))

not a good chapter :|

please review!! :D i need** 65 reviews or more **to continue this story ! :D ;) i'm so evil =))

**it will take awhile for the two to meet each other again :P**

kirika o7


	6. Chapter 6

Tales of Two Childhood Friends

Ryoma meets a half naked Tezuka?

Chapter 6

Another day it was for the Echizen family despite that fact that it was a busy day. Nanako went to her friend's house due to a class project in their class; Rinko went to a business trip in England for a new case that she had to work on; Nanjiroh went to his old school to ask help from his old coach to convince the principal to enroll Ryoma as a boy, while the Echizen sibling were just alone in their house doing nothing except well…nothing. Ryoga sighed again as he went upstairs to wake up his sister who was sleeping way too long. It has been more than 10 hours of her beauty sleep. She really sleeps like a rock!

"Chibi-suke! Wake up!" Ryoga boomed barging inside Ryoma's room

Thud!

Ryoma fell down as she heard the irritating voice of her human alarm clock, which was Ryoga. She wished that she had a normal alarm clock that would wake her up normally. Oh wait… She already has one, it was just lying there in near her pillow ringing endlessly, but to her indignation it doesn't/wouldn't work on her. Nothing could even wake her up even a trumpet near her ear, her mother would always say. She cursed her father's sleeping habits.

'Of all things I can inherit from my father, why does it have to be his bad habits' Ryoma thought miserably

"Why'd you wake me up?" Ryoma hissed glaring at Ryoga who flinched a bit

"Rawr" Karupin growled irritatingly that someone would wake her up the wrong way.

'I'm gonna kill you if you don't give me a damn good reason Aniki' Ryoma thought gritting her teeth like a mad dog and clenching her fist

Ryoga sighed that his sister was always hopeless. He got the alarm clock of Ryoma and faced it in her face. It read 10 am.

"This is why" Ryoga muttered enough for Ryoma to hear

"Hai, hai" Ryoma got up and snatch the alarm clock from Ryoga and placed it where it belong

"You better hurry" Ryoga informed as Ryoma fixed her bed

"I got it!" Ryoma said really pissed off. It was Sunday morning for Kami-sama's sake.

Time Skip

As both siblings were walking down the streets of Tokyo, Ryoma wondered where they were heading out again.

"Ne Aniki, where are we off to again?" Ryoma asked as she lowered her Fila cap because of the intense radiance the sun was giving but was block off by the clouds that were passing by. (A/N: she's disguise as a guy)

"I told you we're going to the hospital," Ryoga sighed as he answered, looking at the sky, which was really peaceful.

"Why?" Ryoma asked again. She too, was looking at the peaceful scenery right above her

"Kaa-san said that we have an appointment," Ryoga said looking at the road already not wanting to bump into something or someone. It was not cool he thought

"Why? We're perfectly healthy" Ryoma asked still staring at the clouds floating in the air

"I don't know, Kaa-san said that we have to go or she'll forbids us from playing tennis for a year or so. And you know how Kaa-san worries about us, healthy or not." Ryoga shivered not wanting that to happen to the both of them for they have grew up and learned to love tennis but he understood his mother for doing this so, she was sometimes not with them for she was a such busy lawyer.

"Ah…But it's just a simple appointment, why forbid us?" she asked again her eyes focus on the road once more for the sun has once again showed up

"I don't know either. It said it was for our own good" Ryoga answered, looking at some girls that were eyeing and giggling at him

"Which hospital and who's our doctor?" Ryoma asked again her eyes settled on Ryoga who was looking at road after waving at the girls who were giggling at him

"She said it was Kasetawa hospital and the doctor's name is let see…" Ryoga wandered trying to remember. (A/N: can't think of any hospital!)

"Ahh… Dr. Oishi Chiroh. She also told me that the doctor already knows your true identity since it would be against the law if you don't tell your real gender in a private hospital and because of your current situation" Ryoga said as he remembered it

"Hey I'm not the only one who's in this stupid situation!" Ryoma reminded Ryoga that he was famous too like her.

"Well for your information my beloved sister you are more popular than me and a few people only knows me for the Princess is more popular than the Demigod yet I'm still powerful than you Chibi-suke" Ryoga pointed out and at the same time he mocked her as he received a 'Che' from his sister for mocking her, giving her those information and calling her his beloved sister

"What if the doctor spills?" Ryoma asked worriedly

'She's unusually talkative today…hehe' Ryoga thought happily hoping that she could be chirpier than before

"Kaa-san will deal that" Ryoga snickered as he imagined his mother courting this so called Dr. Oishi Chiroh. His mother wouldn't let this pass even if he begged a million times. He would just lose his job and his fortune. That was how great their mother's power was, greater than their father's.

"Why Kasetawa hospital?" Ryoma asked one last time asking herself if she's talking quite a lot today or it was just her imagination

"Of course! It's a hospital that has professional doctors! And one of them is Dr. Oishi Chiroh!" Ryoga said feeling smart and all like he was Einstein. He even took out a wig that exactly looks like Einstein and placed it on his hair

"Don't praise yourself too much, Einstein. Besides Kaa-san just told you, didn't she?" Ryoma snickered as Ryoga stumbled down and did an anime fall making Ryoma snicker at her Aniki's (funny) action

"Mou! Chibi-suke's mean!" Ryoga whined like a child, which made Ryoma to remember someone. What was his name again Eiki, Eiku, Eiju. It wasn't important anyway but Ryoma still cursed at her short-term memory lost about people's names and faces. She blamed her father once more.

'Why me of all the Echizen!' Ryoma screamed inside her mind

"Ah here we are!" Ryoga said stopped in front of a white big building

"It's huge" Ryoma muttered, awed by the hugeness of the building as they walk inside

INSIDE THE HOSPITAL BUILDING

"Ne Aniki let's ask for direction" Ryoma suggested thinking if they should go right or left or maybe the elevator that Ryoma was currently staring at

"Ok! Leave it all to me!" Ryoga said pounding his chest with his left fist as he went to the nurse that he spotted near the vending machine. Ryoma just sighed as she went away from her brother; she knew what he would do. 'Mada Mada Dane, Aniki' Ryoma thought as she gave a smirk to her brother and went away (hid).

'He always does that when he asks for direction' Ryoma thought looking for a place to hide

"Excuse me" Ryoga said trying to gain attention from the nurse that was near the vending machine. She then looked up and turned red, seeing the sight of a very handsome man on her own opinion

"A-ano! H-how c-can I help you?" the nurse said uneasily blushing like a tomato

"Could you tell me where is Dr. Oishi Chiroh's clinic is?" Ryoga asked as he stared at the nurse with mesmerizing eyes

"A-ah! Ano, you're just going to walk straight from here and tu-turn left when you're at the end of the hall! It's just down the hall when yo-you reach the end of the hall! His clinic is Ro-room 250" the nurse was shaking already which made Ryoga snicker mentally at the scene he was seeing in front of him, it was like a movie he thought

"Oh… Thank you very much" Ryoga said as he turned around, fighting the laughter that was about to burst, and waved at the nurse while giving her a wink, which made the nurse almost faint. Ryoga, who was laughing hard like he just heard the funniest joke in the world, went back to where Ryoma was, which was away from him a while ago. She didn't want to lose her pride. Actually it wasn't her pride that she was worried about but it was just embarrassing to have an older brother that was acting like a pervert like their father. People might think that she's a pervert too as well, now that she's disguise as a guy and looks like one too.

"Hey Chibi-suke!" Ryoga shouted gaining Ryoma's attention

"Yo… How was it?" Ryoma asked not caring what his brother did.

"Easy as pie!" Ryoga grinned giving Ryoma an ok sign

"Perv" Ryoma muttered

"What did you say gaki?" Ryoga raise a his brow

"Nothing" Ryoma muttered looking at a different direction as she heard ah 'Hmph' from her brother

"Setting that aside…The nurse said that it was just walk straight from here and turn left when we reach at the end of the hall it's just somewhere down the hallway when we reach it and we can find his clinic there. It's Room 250 by the way" Ryoga said as he called the directions that the nurse gave him a while ago

"Let's get going then," Ryoma muttered wanting to finish this stupid, troublesome appointment so that she could sleep again with Karupin peacefully without anyone disturbing her or her cat, and that anyone is Ryoga. (A/N: she's like Shikamaru! LOL XD)

One minute after…

"Here we are" Ryoga stopped at the sliding door, which read Room 250

"Let's go in" Ryoma just nod as Ryoga opened the sliding door

"Sorry for interrupting" both sibling said in unison as Ryoma closed the door behind her

"No not at all" an old guy that was maybe in his mid thirties said as he smiled warmly stopping to what he was doing. He was currently examining the chest area of an oval spectacle guy who had a stern face who also started at the two. (A/N: ohhh…who do you think this guy is?)

"You must be Dr. Oishi Chiroh, our new doctor?" Ryoga smiled as Ryoma stood beside him while blushing

"Yes, I am" Dr. Chiroh just smiled as his assistant showed up

"Please take a seat and wait for your turn," his assistant said politely

"Thank you very much… Oy! Chibi-suke you ok?" Ryoga asked as he looked at where Ryoma was looking. To his surprise it was the guy who had a stern face who was half naked. Ryoga froze

"Ah! Ah!" Ryoga almost shouted as he shielded Ryoma's eyes

"What's the matter?" Dr. Chiroh asked why his new patient was shouting at that moment

"Hehe…please forgive my 'brother' 'he's' not used in seeing too much skin of both boys and girls, even though 'he' is a 'guy' " Ryoga kept a happy face even though he's lip was twitching uncontrollably.

Dr. Chiroh just chuckled to what Ryoga just said. He already knew the current situation that Ryoma was going through. Their mother already told him about it and that he should keep he's mouth shut or something bad will happen to him and his job.

'What a wonderful mother Rinko-san is' Dr. Chiroh though chuckling once more making the stern guy in front of him blink in confusion.

'What's going on in here?' the stern guy mused looking at the Ryoga making Dr. Chiroh realized that the patient in front of him was now confuse to the situation that he is seeing before his eyes.

"Ah gomen Tezuka-kun…Let's continue" Dr. Chiroh said, a smile on his face

"Ahh" Tezuka, the stern guy replied

_Fuji Residence_

Fuji, who was taking some pictures, felt something that he has never felt before

"Saa, what is this weird feeling? It makes me want to torture Tezuka in some kind of way" Fuji wondered laughing sadistically as a dark aura emerges behind him

Unknown to him his younger brother, Fuji Yuuta, was peeking out his brother's door curious to what he was doing. But unfortunately he has seen once again the dark side of his brother, he was laughing sadistically. He heard the whole thing from the weird feeling through the I'm gonna torture Tezuka for some kind of reason. He then closed the door

'This must be weird but… Kami-sama please help Tezuka-kun that he would survive Aniki's wrath' Yuuta thought as he prayed to Kami-sama he then took a last glance at his brother but regretted doing so

"Bwahihihi" Fuji laughed as he took a voodoo doll that looked like Tezuka with a needle on his other hand and poked it in voodoo Tezuka's gut. Yuuta shivered and made a note.

'Note to self: never go to brother's room if necessary' he thought as he left quickly not wanting to see more of his brother's other side.

Back to the Clinic

"Ok everything looks fine then Tezuka-kun. Just remember to take care of yourself always." Dr. Chiroh reminded him and at the same time lectured the young man

'Kids these days' he thought

'He's like Oishi. Well he is his uncle. I think it runs in their family, them being too concern with other people. Mostly Oishi' Tezuka thought letting out a sigh as he took his polo that hang on the chair

"Ahh.." Tezuka replied putting back his polo on as he felt that something or someone was poking his gut but set it aside.

"I'll tell your mother your next appointment" he smiled

"Thank you very much Dr. Chiroh" Tezuka bowed getting his tennis bag

"No problem at all" Dr. Chiroh gave Tezuka his last warm smile

"I'll be going then," Tezuka said bowing once more, Dr. Chiroh waving at him at his seat telling him to stay safe as he gave him a short nod and went towards the door

While Tezuka was heading towards the door he then stopped for a while as Dr. Chiroh called on the next patient, which were the siblings that he met a while ago. He was rather curious with the younger 'boy' that wore a white Fila cap. He reminded him of someone that he praised but set it aside since it wasn't his concern at that moment. Taking one last glance at the 'boy' he then took his leave, heading towards the tennis court for his training.

That's it! Sorry for making it short though :D

please review :)

kirika o7


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: sorry guys if I didn't update it as soon as possible since I was debating with myself if Ryoma should be a girl or boy, and I've decided that s(he)'ll be cross dressing. :D and I'm sorry to those who expected Ryoma attending Seigaku as a girl. -_-

Disclaimer: I DOUGH NUT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS :D

Tales of Two Childhood Friends

Chapter 7

Is that you?

Weeks have passed since the arrival of the Echizen family and it was the day that Ryoma would be attending her father's former school, Seishun Gakuen or Seigaku for short. Ryoma, who was currently walking peacefully towards her school, smiled inwardly, despite the fact that there was frown on her face, for she was wearing the boys' school uniform and she loved it whenever she wears boys' clothing, it was really comfortable unlike skirts that would just get in the way, wanting perverted guys to look what's beneath it or blouses that would irritate your skin, wanting you to scratch it momentarily. And her hair was short already! She didn't need to wear a stupid wig or anything irritating to the skin or scalp and, having long hair was always irksome, it was always getting in the way and that you always have to tie it whenever it's hot or when you play a game and you get to be a human Barbie Doll if you have long hair. Well that what she always thinks since her mother and cousin would dress her up like a girly girl, girl or a Barbie doll for short.

She was so happy to be in disguise that she had to cover up her gender and not her name since everyone knows that the Princess of Tennis is not a guy and that she wasn't the only 'Echizen Ryoma' alive in the whole world; either it may be a girl or a guy that has the same name as her, so she didn't care. She was also happy that she would make friends for who she was but she feared that once her friends find out her dark secret they might not see her or treat her for who she is anymore but as the Princess of Tennis and that things won't be the same once everyone would find out that the missing Princess of Tennis was here in Japan. Media's would infiltrate and hinder their peaceful household, asking absurd question why she won't be playing and why'd she left America and decided to move in Japan. But most of all she didn't want to be a burden to her folks into moving into another country or house just because of her.

She really does love Japan and wanted to live there permanently even if she only lived there for a couple of weeks. Everyone treated her like they knew her long ago; everyone in the neighborhood that knew her, disguised as a boy, would wave at her, say a simple hello and smile at her sincerely as she would do the same except she would frown. It's not that she didn't want to smile at them but over the years she already forgot how to smile, a true smile to be exact not the grin that she shows whenever she's slightly happy, after HE left her. She wanted to live in Japan because she might find HIM, wanting HIM to be by her side like good ol' days. HE was her first real friend, who disregarded the name 'Echizen', as HE treated her like a normal kid and not like a princess or important person who came from a famous family. To HIS eyes she was just an ordinary girl like the others. (A/N: it hurts!)

Realizing that brooding about losing her first real friend wouldn't bring him back, Ryoma just sighed as she continued to walk peacefully towards her school. Sadly, it was interrupted when somebody shouted, "Oy Echizen is that you?" but being her usual self she just ignored the voice seeing that she didn't remember meeting with anyone this past few weeks. But the voice still called her as another voice screeched, "Doko (where)? Ochibi Nya?" its voice was like a cat but Ryoma still chose to ignore it, even if she is fond of cats, as she wanted to have her peaceful walking once more but she somehow remembered the word 'Ochibi' somewhere. Remembering that word made her slightly angry, she wasn't that short for Kami-sama's sake! Well she was…but not that short!

But Lady Luck wasn't on her side today as the voices kept coming closer to her. She snapped out of her thoughts when she suddenly felt a muscular hand on her right shoulder, she then eyed the hand as she looked upward to see who owned it; it was a pineapple head, she thought. The man, who had a violet eyes, grin at her as he removed his hand on her right shoulder and waved his index finger saying how mean she was for not even bothering to stop and see who was calling her, his voice was clearly disappointed.

Not recognizing him she just simply asked, "Who are you?" making the man before her gawked at her and did an anime fall as his companion, with a white rectangular bandage placed on his right cheek, grinned at him like the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.

"What do you mean who are you? I am Momoshiro Takeshi! The one who saved your sorry butt five days ago when those Ginka students were bullying you and Baa-san's granddaughter!" he yelled, clearly hurt that someone would forget him in just five days! FIVE FREAKING DAYS ONLY! He'd accept if the gaki in front of him would forget him if they didn't meet for a long time like a month or so. But days? FIVE FREAKING DAYS! And _he_ already totally forgot about him! It deeply hurts him but his neko companion was laughing loudly. "Nyahaha! Ochibi forgot Momo-chan but I bet he didn't forget about me!" the neko's voice laugh was loud as he held his sides, mocked his companion whose name was Momoshiro Takeshi and said with assurance that Ryoma didn't forget about him. He was grinning at her like there was no tomorrow.

Putting his left arm on top of Ryoma's head he then asked, "You do remember me Ochibi?" his voice was filled with hope but Ryoma just looked at him blankly and simply said "No" causing him to lose his balance for a second and did an anime fall like Momo. Speaking of Momo…he was laughing hysterically, "Now whose name isn't remembered at all now, hmm Eiji-sempai?" he mocked the older teen, laughing harder making Eiji turn red a little for being embarrassed

"Mou! OCHIBI! Why? Why do you have to forget me? Why do you have to forget me, KIKUMARU EIJI, of all people?" he whined tears streaming down on his cheeks, waving his arms in the air while Ryoma just stared at the two teens without a care. They were starting to have a fight again. She really wanted to go back to her peaceful walk and go to school. "Can I go now?" she asked blankly, not wanting to be late for her first day in school.

Stopping their fight, Kikumaru suggested "Why don't we go to school together, nyaa?" as he was jumping up and down like a kid that managed to get a free candy from a candy store. He really wanted to spend time with his Ochibi. _He_ was fun, even if _he_ was cold sometimes but on top of all his Ochibi was kawaii (cute)! So he didn't care if _he_ was cold to him. Ryoma, who didn't want her morning to be ruined because of having her two loud sempai's just asked, "What do you mean together?" sure they go to the same school but it doesn't mean that they have to accompany her going there, she knows where it is nevertheless.

"But we go to the same school!" Eiji whined while Momo nod in agreement. Guess they didn't get what Ryoma said. Momo also interjected loudly, "Come on Echizen! You don't have to be shy and all!" as he hook his left arm to poor Ryoma's right arm earning an "Eh?" from her. Getting the idea, Eiji did the same and hook his right arm to her other arm earning the same answer she gave Momo, as soon as Ryoma couldn't get away from their hold they immediately marched towards their school, humming happily with a protesting Ryoma at their hold.

Seigaku's Gate

As soon as they arrived they, Momo and Eiji, immediately let go of Ryoma, who landed with a loud thump, and shouted, "Welcome to Seigaku Echizen/Ochibi!" not feeling any shame that most of all the students were staring at them curiously. Sure Momoshiro and Kikumaru weren't ashamed given that they were already students in Seigaku but, poor Ryoma was still new and she still wasn't known in Seigaku. She then stood up, dusted off the dust that was on her uniform and replied a "Hn" to them as if she wasn't humiliated in front of the whole school by her two nut head sempais making some girls in her school squeal as she overheard some of them saying, 'cute' or 'cool' directly at her while some were blushing, which made her freak out and wonder why they were red at the same time.

"Come on Ochibi, I'll tour you!" Eiji punched the air, earning more students staring at him as if he was nuts but they didn't care seeing that was who Eiji was and Eiji, too didn't care less if everyone thought that he was going nuts as long as he's able to have spend some quality time to be with his new cute kouhai. But all his happiness faded away when Ryoma told them that all freshmen had to go to an orientation that was about to start in 10 minutes as she showed them a paper that did say that they, the freshmen, have an orientation at 8:00 am in the gym

"Mou what a pain" Eiji pouted, wanting to spend time with his new friend as Momo patted his shoulder while he informed him, "Ah ah...we still have practice sempai even if Echizen didn't have that orientation" making Eiji pout even more.

Being his optimistic self Eiji said, "Fine…but if it's free time we'll pick you up!" he was determined to get to know more about his Ochibi but Ryoma just stayed quite as always. Momo then looked at his watch and told Eiji, "Eiji-sempai I think we have to go already, it's almost practice time or buchou (captain) would punish us by running laps again" Momo shivered at the thought making Eiji sigh, knowing what would happen if they would be late

Not wanting to leave his kouhai alone, who doesn't know where the gym was, Momo faced Ryoma and told her, "Well Echizen you better go already, the gym is just over there" he pointed where the gym was, whereas Ryoma just nod. She then thanked both of them as she bowed at them and walked towards where the gym was with her tennis bag along with the other freshmen.

Watching Ryoma's figure getting farther and farther away they were completely startled as they heard a creepy "Ohayo" at their back making them jump two feet in the air. Clutching their hearts, they turned their heads to figure out who the person who would greeted them creepily. Well, there were two people they had in mind. (A/N: it's either him or him =)) just kidding. It was either Fuji or Inui but it's already quite obvious who the two people both Momo and Eiji had in mind)

"Fuji-sempai/Fujiko! Don't scare us like that!" both yelled in unison, still clutching their hearts, trying to calm their heart beats, considering that they were completely freaked out by the number one sadist of Seigaku, Fuji Shuusuke who was smiling innocently at them with his eyes close. But he just simply answered innocently, "Huh? I just greeted the both of you" chuckling lightly while Momo protested that it was freaky and he didn't like the tone of it.

"Gomen Momo…Eiji?" he said apologetically to Momo and Eiji but Eiji wasn't complaining and looking at him like always, he seemed a bit distant and he was looking at the direction where the gym was. He pouted, saying, "Mou I don't see Ochibi's figure anymore" no longer seeing his little cute kouhai considering that many freshmen have gathered the gym

"Maybe he went inside the gym already, I mean the orientation is almost starting" Momo theorized, making Fuji curious who his best friend have befriended with already. It was rather surprising that his best friend had befriended with someone already on the first day of classes. So he asked curiously, "Ne, who's this 'Ochibi' you are talking about Eiji?" His best friend never gave anyone a pet name unless he/she was cute, close to him or anything good to Eiji's eyes. Like Fuji he was pretty close to Eiji that's why he earned the name, Fujiko from him

"Oh…Ochibi's Ec-" Momo was cut off

_Ringggggggg _

(A/N: hahaha…I gotta feeling that you're screaming in frustration…hahaha ^w^)

Well this made Fuji more curious who this Ochibi person was.

"Gah! We're late for practice!" both the loudest Regulars shouted in fear that they have to run laps again as they heard the bell. They ran in circles thinking what to do, to escape the wrath of their buchou since they were obviously late for practice while Fuji…well he was just chuckling

"Fuji-sempai/Fujiko! Why are you chuckling about?" the duo yelled at the same time, wondering why the sadist was not worried about running laps, knowing that the tensai (genius) clearly hated to run laps even if he was late for a second or two.

"Saa (Well)…it's funny that the both of you are running around like you have to run laps today" he chuckled more causing both Momo and Eiji look at Fuji questioningly. Chuckling harder, Fuji just simply asked them, "Ne Momo, Eiji did you forget that we have a tournament today this afternoon?" he smiled as he saw his two companions look at him as if he was joking. After a brief moment Momo and Eiji's faces were lighted up, happy that they didn't have to run laps today.

"YEHEY!" both cheered, dancing polka while going to the tennis court with Fuji behind their back. Going back to the topic, Fuji asked once more, "Ne, who's 'Ochibi' Eiji?" looking at Eiji with a smile on his face causing Eiji to smile big, big enough to split his face in half.

"Ochibi's name is _Echizen Ryoma_, he's a freshmen" he proudly announced this to Fuji, who was shock. His eyes were wide open, revealing his two cerulean orbs that were filled with disbelief, and his mouth was slightly open, he just couldn't find the words that the name he just heard was his childhood friend. This expression just made both his best friend and kouhai worried.

"Fuji-sempai/Fujiko?" they asked apprehensively as they saw that their sempai/best friend showed them a rare expression whereas that the tensai only showed "happy" emotions to them. Snapping out of his thoughts, Fuji regained his composure and smiled at them as if that moment didn't just happened

"Saa…_his_ name's like the Princess of Tennis" he told them shakily and it was a success that both Momo and Eiji didn't seem to notice that he was still troubled.

"I know right! Ne ne Fujiko did you know when we, Me and Momo,-

"Momo and I" Fuji quietly said

"-first saw _him_ then _he_ told _his_ name to us I was shock for awhile that _his_ name was the same as Hime-chan but I thought for a moment that Hime-chan wasn't a guy." Eiji informed his best friend then he interjected, "And Momo thought that _he_ was the Princess of Tennis, baka. Nyahaha" he laughed while Momo just tried to calm himself not to punch his sempai and at the same time Fuji was laughing as they went to the tennis court where they will prepare for their incoming tournament

After School

After school, everyone in school hurriedly went home to think about which club they will be joining since there will be a club fair the next two days. While some students left, Ryoma wanted to stay for awhile and see the tennis court for an unknown reason. She walked and walked where it was as if she knew the school grounds of her new school. She spotted that there were a lot of tennis courts (A/N: how many tennis courts do they have? w) she continued to walk as she remembered playing tennis with Shuusuke when they were still little. She was really missing her friend and she missed playing tennis. She hasn't played tennis for the past few days and, she was longing for it already. She also didn't understand why her father let her bring her tennis bag but she had a hit that her father had hopes in bringing her back to the tennis addict she was. Snapping out of her thoughts, she then spotted a lone figure outside one of the tennis court. Her golden eyes widen as she saw the back of the person who was carrying a tennis bag on his left shoulder. What surprised her, the most was the name that was imprinted on the person's tennis bag. It read, Fuji. The same last name that her childhood friend had and the person's hair was the same honey brown color her friend possesses. But then again Ryoma doubted that the person who was in front of her was a different person. But it wouldn't hurt to try if this person in front of her was indeed her missing childhood friend that she was longing to be after all these years, right? She took a step forward, swallowed her saliva and said nervously, "Sh-Shuu-ch-chan? Is that you?" her voice was quite however the person heard her and spun around as she saw…

CLIFFY!

Please Review ;)

kirika o7


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The titles at the bottom of the story...kidding ((:

* * *

_Recap: Her golden eyes widen as she saw the back of the person who was carrying a tennis bag on his left shoulder. What surprised her, the most was the name that was imprinted on the person's tennis bag. It read, Fuji. The same last name that her childhood friend had and the person's hair was the same honey brown color her friend possesses. But then again Ryoma doubted that the person who was in front of her was a different person. But it wouldn't hurt to try if this person in front of her was indeed her missing childhood friend that she was longing to be after all these years, right? She took a step forward, swallowed her saliva and said nervously, "Sh-Shuu-ch-chan? Is that you?" her voice was quite however the person heard her and spun around as she saw…_

* * *

Fuji's POV

After winning our match this afternoon with some school our team mate, Kawamura Takashi, insisted (well yelled to be precise) that we'd have a celebration at his family's sushi restaurant, while holding his racket. We'd always do this kind of thing after winning our tournament either if the tournament would be major or not as long as we won; to us it's just like a hobby. Well that's what I really like about our team always jolly, enthusiastic…

...and…

…always has free food (chuckle).

"Yatta! FOOD!" Both my best friend and kouhai beamed in joy as they danced in circles with Kawamura in the middle. It was really funny sight to look at that I'd wish I had my camera with me. As passengers passed by, mostly girls, they would chuckle lightly as they saw the trio (more like the duo – Eiji and Momo) goof around. Well I couldn't possibly blame them. We won and we'd have free unlimited food until our stomachs could not take it anymore. Hmmm…free Wasabi Sushi.

"Ne ne Fujiko are you going to join us?" my best friend slightly jumped up and down. He was rather excited that they'd, Momo and Eiji, would eat free unlimited food. I thought for awhile but my heart told me that something good (A/N: or bad) would happen if I didn't come. Sure I'd miss eating my favorite food, Wasabi Sushi, but I'd get it when we'd win another tournament. After agreeing with myself, I slightly scrunched up my face and said with a 'sad' voice, "I'm sorry Eiji but it seems like I still have somewhere to go, maybe next time, ne?" I saw my best friend pout but in a few seconds his pout became a Cheshire grin. "Ne ne Fujiko are you going to see someone? A_ girl _perhaps?" he asked elbowing my ribs, gently trying not to hurt me. It was funny how he misinterpreted what I told him and because of that it made me want to tease him, even a little. "Saa who knows…" I stepped back as I waved good bye to my team as they did too, to me, well…Eiji was practically jumping up and down and was practically yelling, 'Oy Fujiko! Tell me! Tell me!'

As I began to walk towards wherever my feet could take me, my heart started pounding very fast. I didn't know why but as it started to pound faster and faster I didn't realize I was already running fast, my feet taking me already to where the school was. Soon I arrived at school stopping in front of our tennis courts. I breathe in and out, trying to catch my breath. I haven't run that much, I thought, a small smile on my face. Regaining my posture I looked at the numerous tennis courts that we have in our school. My eyes opened sorrow visible on them as I suddenly began to remember when I was still a child who was playing with my childhood friend, Ryoma. I sighed hoping that I'd get to see her again. I looked at the tennis court as the wind blew, touching my skin. It grew stronger when I heard a soft voice calling my name. It made him spin around wondering whose voice was it…

* * *

Normal POV

Her voice was soft however the person right before her spun around, making both of their eyes widen in surprise

...

...

...

...

_"Shu-shuusuke..." she said shakily_

It was **indeed **her childhood friend

...

...

...

"Ryo…Ryo-chan?" Fuji asked weakly, making sure that he's eyes and ears were not playing with his mind. And it seems that they weren't, seeing that Ryoma tackled Fuji to the ground, sobbing on his chest saying, "Shuusuke" over and over again. Fuji froze when his friend tackled him on the ground, he didn't expect that the Echizen Ryoma that Momo and Eiji were talking about and befriended with was his childhood friend. He then patted Ryoma's head with affection for a brief moment and hugged her tightly, not wanting Ryoma to leave his grasp as he, too cried. It seems like he broke his promise to Ryoma about not crying in front of her but he didn't care as long as she was with him.

Gathering all her willpower, Ryoma raised her head to look at Fuji, who was looking down at her golden eyes with his cerulean eyes with tears still visible on the corner of his eyes. She was about to cry again but Ryoma didn't want to have a moment with her missing friend by crying in front of him until it they had to part to go home.

"Shuusuke I miss you" she said innocently while smiling, a true smile, as she still hugged the young lad. While Fuji replied, "I miss you too, Ryoma" a true smile on his face also. They stood there for a minute or so, looking at each other's faces if there were any changes in their figures, for the past seven years of their separation. Fuji thought that Eiji was right that Ryoma was cute, cuter than they were still kids. Her hair was short already like his, but she still had the same emerald locks that he loves to ruffle since it was soft and silky, her eyes were like the eyes of a cat and the color was lighter which made her adorable, and she was taller but he was taller than her by a foot or two; he laughed inwardly. (A/N: i don't know how tall or how short Fuji and Ryoma are, so deal with it) So that's why Eiji called her Ochibi in the first place. What a fitting name he thought to himself. As for Ryoma, she thought that her friend was twice as tall as her, she was jealous of it that the span of their height was doubled unlike they were still kids, they were only a few centimeters apart back then! His eyes were sharper and the color of it was darker, Fuji still wore that innocent smile but what she was seeing was a real smile that she loved to see, his hair was longer but it was still the honey brown color that she loved to mess up, she pouted inwardly at the thought that she can't do it anymore since she can't reach his hair anymore because of their height difference.

Standing up, Ryoma helped out her friend as both of them removed the dust that was on their uniforms. Ryoma looked at Fuji and said, "We have a lot of catching up to do ne, Shuusuke-_sempai_" she teased him saying sempai as she laughed lightly with the funny expression her friend had on his face. Even if they were childhood friends they couldn't use their childhood nicknames at each other even if they wanted to call each other _Shuu-chan _or_ Ryo-chan_, well if it's Fuji, he can call Ryoma, Ryoma-chan or Ryo-chan since his a senior but Ryoma has to call him Fuji-sempai, Shuusuke-sempai or any name as long as there has to be a sempai at the end, she is a freshman after all. Stupid school rules. Disregarding the fact that his friend teased him, Fuji noticed that his friend was carrying her tennis bag. He then remembered that within this week there all the years in middle school will look for a club. Curious if his friend would consider tennis, then asked, "Ne Ryoma how's tennis" he was wondering how his friend's tennis career has been after all this years before he asked about her club was. Her darkened expression wasn't noticed by Fuji, "I remember that the freshmen are going to choose a club. You **ARE **going to join the tennis club, right?" he asked once more. He knew that his friend was very fond in playing tennis and how she love it and it's her life seeing that her father was the SAMURAI NANJIROH and her mother was a tennis player also, basically tennis just runs in their family (A/N: I didn't add Ryoga since Fuji doesn't know who he is yet…obviously) but he was curious why his friend flinch when he asked about her joining the tennis club.

"What's wrong Ryoma?" he asked worriedly and at the same time seriously. Ryoma stared at the ground she was stepping on as she stood still there for a couple of minutes until she looked at him, with her now emotionless golden eyes and said, "I don't want to play tennis anymore" her voice sounded dead as if tennis was just a word to her, a simple sport and nothing more, like it wasn't part of her life. It surprise him that the sport she love was not the sport she loves so much anymore, the sport that she would get worked up with and would enjoy where he can see her real smiles because its purpose was to make her enjoy it. The thing was, he never ever saw his friend like this. Never had he seen his friend not love tennis of all things. It was her life, tennis was her life. She'd trade anything as long as she played tennis forever.

But this person, this person in front of him wasn't the Ryoma he adored or loved anymore. She was different. She wasn't the same Ryoma he was longing for, for the past seven years; the one who would always challenged him in tennis whenever they meet, the one who would always talk about tennis every time they have a conversation, the one who does anything, I mean anything that was related to tennis!

He looked at Ryoma narrowed his eyes and looked at Ryoma's golden ones, it made her flinch. He didn't want to accept the fact that his childhood friend would…would give up in tennis just like that! He wanted to know what happened to his friend. He wanted to know what happened to her and why she became like what she is like now. He wanted to know everything, now!

"Ryoma" his voice was icy that made Ryoma flinch the third time this day. She answered, "H-hai?" she was slightly trembling, asking herself why her friend was like this all of the sudden. Fuji then declared, "Let's play a game and tell me EVERYTHING" he was dead serious. This part of Fuji was one of the things that Ryoma feared. Whatever he wanted must be granted whenever he was like this.

"D-demo I told yo-" Ryoma reasoned out, she didn't want to play tennis but Fuji cut her off. "Are you telling me that **_THE PRINCESS OF TENNIS _**is backing out?" he mocked her making her angry as Fuji emphasized her title. Even though Ryoma told him that she doesn't play anymore her pride was still there, inside of her. Narrowing her eyes, she then said, "Fine I'll play you!" she shouted in anger, clenching her fist. She asked herself why her friend would want her to do something she _didn't _want to do. Unknown to her, Fuji was a bit happy that some of her was coming back but that didn't win back her old self entirely. Now he needed to play seriously.

* * *

yeah I know...it's been like forever and all...too lazy to think anyway. :))) sorry about that

hope you guys review!


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